Chapter 161: Chapter 161
Back at Sylphid Academy, the atmosphere inside was harrowing. The students were all nervous, and only a select few were calm and composed. The armoured woman and her squad of soldiers were resting inside the cafeteria, being fed by the academy’s kitchen staff while the injured soldiers were being healed by the academy’s healer. As the armoured woman was recuperating, a few students dressed in Sylphid Academy’s uniform approached her. The leader of the pack was a young man of average height. Although that’s the case, the young man excluded a leadership and mature aura that made people want to rely on him.
The young man stood a couple of inches taller than the armoured woman. His serious looks coupled with a neatly combed-back slicked dark-brown hair amplified the young man’s awe-inspiring aura. The armoured woman glanced slightly at the pack of students, “What do you guys want?” she inquired. The young man put his right hand on his left chest before bowing slightly towards the armoured woman, “Greetings, commander Syndra. My name is Julian Albert. I represented my fellow classmates to appear before you today because we would like to join you defending our academy”, the young man, Julian Albert said politely with proper noble etiquette.
“Huh?” The armoured woman raised her eyebrow, “Really? You would like to join us?” Julian Albert, along with his classmates behind him, all nodded their heads. “Hah”, the armoured woman scoffed, “Tell me, what help could you provide us with? From what I’ve seen, only you and a couple others behind you that could barely qualify to march to the battlefield. That is when we opted for your combat experiences. You kids are all still wet behind the ears.” After hearing the armoured woman’s words, many students behind Julian Albert were either afraid or offended.
Not Julian Albert, though; he was still looking calm and composed like he always did. Julian Albert nodded, “We knew that in terms of combat experiences or combat prowess, we can’t match you guys. Heck, we’re vastly outmatched by your squad, commander Syndra. But that will not stop us from doing what we should be doing, and that is to defend our academy”, Julian Albert argued. “Hooh”, the armoured woman was surprised after hearing what the young man before her had said. “What’s your name again, young man?” she inquired.
“I’m Julian Albert, ma’am”, he answered with eyes full of determination. The armoured woman nodded in satisfaction, “Good. I like your eyes and your answer. You’ll make it far if you keep this up. Now, tell me about you and your classmates’ abilities”, the armoured woman said before Julian Albert narrated the capabilities of him and his classmates. “And that’s about it”, Julian Albert ended his explanation. “Hmm”, the armoured woman pondered while rubbing her chin, “In short, you are a 2nd Circle Mage that specialized in wind elements. Only two among your classmates were mages, and only one of your classmates is an aura master?”
Julian Albert nodded. “Okay, I have something in mind for you guys”, the armoured woman said with a smile. However, suddenly tremors could be felt by the armoured woman and the people inside the barrier. They could hear the pounding from the monstrous creatures begin to intensify, and Sylphid Academy’s building began to crumble down from the impact.
The armoured woman frowned, “Has the monstrous creatures’ reinforcements arrived already? Shit!” she cursed, “Where are our reinforcements? Damn it!” she pursed her lips. “All available men, assemble on the entrance”, the armoured woman ordered. “What about us?” Julian Albert asked. “You come too”, the armoured woman said, “And only bring those three that I said earlier. The rest of you could help by staying safe within the building.”
Julian Albert and his classmates’ postures perked up as they saluted, “Yes, ma’am!” After that, the armoured woman and her squad of soldiers hurriedly came out from the academy. Upon looking outside the barrier and finding that the number of monstrous creatures that were attacking them was now doubled, the armoured woman, along with her squad of soldiers, had sweat poured down from their faces. “What the hell—” the armoured woman exclaimed with her mouth agape. “That’s no mere reinforcements”, the blue-haired girl behind the armoured woman gulped, “Are we still going to fight? Shouldn’t we wait for reinforcements?”
The armoured woman furrowed her eyebrows after hearing the blue-haired girl’s words, “I’m afraid our reinforcements will not come in time if we just holed up in the academy”, she said. “Look over there”, the armoured woman pointed outside the barrier. “What is it, commander?” the blue-haired girl squinted her eyes. “Don’t you see? Look behind the giant on the back”, the armoured woman aimed her pointing finger. “Ah”, the blue-haired girl gasped. The armoured woman nodded with an unsightly expression, “Yes”, the armoured woman furrowed her eyebrows, “Their boss has come.”
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The armoured woman gathered her troops outside, in Sylphid Academy’s entrance. “Are you sure about this?” the old lady that stood on the academy’s roof asked. The armoured woman nodded, “Yes, I’m sure”, she replied quite loudly. “Now, open up the barrier like earlier, and we’ll try to shave out their numbers.” The old lady pursed her lips, “I don’t like saying this to someone that works for Sylphid’s government but be careful.” The armoured woman smirked, “I’m always careful, old hag.” The old lady’s eyes twitched; she looked at Julian Albert and three other students behind the armoured woman, “You four, this is an order from your principal. Return alive!” she shouted.
Julian Albert and the three other students nodded their heads, “Yes, ma’am.” After that, the armoured woman approached Julian Albert and his classmates, “So, which one of you is the aura master?” The girl with a blue, bob cut hair raised her hand, “It’s me”, she said. The armoured woman nodded, “Tell me your name and your specialities again.” The blue-haired student opened her mouth, “I’m Rena, and I specialized in weapon combat, especially this” she took out a chained-sickle from her back. “Oh, a weapon from foreign lands”, the armoured woman rubbed her chin, “If I’m not mistaken, this weapon specialized in dealing damage at a distance, right?”
The blue-haired student, Rena, nodded, “Yes. And not only that, but it also specialized in binding and immobilizing opponents.” The armoured woman pondered, “Amy!” she shouted. “Yes, commander?” Amy approached the armoured woman. “You take this girl in your squad. She would provide the long-ranged attack that your squad lack at the moment”, the armoured woman said. Amy nodded, “Hai, I’m Amy; what’s your name?” The blue-haired student was brought away by Amy in order to familiarize herself with Amy’s squad.
The armoured woman looked at the three students in front of her, “You three are mages, right?” Julian Albert, along with his fellow students, nodded, “Yes, we are.” The armoured woman scrutinized Julian Albert along with his fellow students before nodding, “The two besides Julian Albert, you all can cast basic spells, yes?” she inquired. The two behind Julian Albert nodded. The armoured woman pointed at the two groups other than Amy’s squad, “You two go there. Be sure to familiarize yourself with their tactics and formation. Be sure to do it quickly; we don’t have time.”
After that, the armoured woman watched as the two students walked away from her. “And you”, the armoured woman turned towards Julian Albert, “You’re with me. We’re going mobile, manoeuvering around the battlefield and helping other squads”, she explained. Julian Albert nodded, “Yes, ma’am.” Julian Albert followed the armoured woman towards the edge of the barrier, “Haah”, he sighed. “What’s the matter, Julian? If you’re having second thoughts now, go back to the academy”, the armoured woman said.
Julian Albert shook his head, “No, it’s not like that. Of course, I’m afraid; we’re all afraid. But, why did the monstrous creatures have to attack now? Why did they have to attack when the seniors and the instructors are all gone?” he pondered. The armoured woman furrowed her eyebrows after hearing Julian Albert’s questioning, “Now that you said it like that, it did feel a little suspicious that they would attack the time where the instructors were not in the academy.” Julain Albert raised his head, “Right? If only they were here, we could’ve easily repelled these monstrous invaders”, Julian Albert said while clenching his fist.
Suddenly, the barrier shook once again, sending tremors inside because of the monstrous creatures constant assault. The armoured woman bit her lips, “Damn it! Can these creatures wait for a while!?” she muttered. After that, the armoured woman stood in front of her soldiers, “Men!” she shouted, “We’re about to do it again, into the jaws of death. And this time, I’m afraid it will not go as smoothly as last time. Are you prepared to leave your name in the books of history for saving one of the country’s prestigious academies? To lay down your life so that the younger generation will survive?” The armoured woman’s soldiers all raised their arms, “Yes, we are prepared” they spoke with unison and determination in their voices.
The armoured woman nodded, “Good. Then, let us leave our name in the annals of history as we take butchered the invader before us!” the armoured woman raised her sword. She pointed her sword at the monstrous creatures as the barrier opened up like a cone, “Kill!”
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